AN 7.50

Methunasutta

Atha kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavatā saddhiṁ sammodi. Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “bhavampi no gotamo brahmacārī paṭijānātī”ti? “Yañhi taṁ, brāhmaṇa, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘akhaṇḍaṁ acchiddaṁ asabalaṁ akammāsaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ caratī’ti, mameva taṁ, brāhmaṇa, sammā vadamāno vadeyya: ‘ahañhi, brāhmaṇa, akhaṇḍaṁ acchiddaṁ asabalaṁ akammāsaṁ paripuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carāmī’”ti. “Kiṁ pana, bho gotama, brahmacariyassa khaṇḍampi chiddampi sabalampi kammāsampī”ti?

Sex

Then the brahmin Jānussoṇi went up to the Buddha, and exchanged greetings with him. When the greetings and polite conversation were over, he sat down to one side and said to the Buddha, “Does Worthy Gotama claim to be chaste?” “Brahmin, if anyone should be rightly said to live the chaste life intact, impeccable, spotless, and unmarred, full and pure, it’s me.” “But what, Worthy Gotama, is a break, taint, stain, or mar in chastity?”

“Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā sammā brahmacārī paṭijānamāno na heva kho mātugāmena saddhiṁ dvayaṁdvayasamāpattiṁ samāpajjati; api ca kho mātugāmassa ucchādanaparimaddananhāpanasambāhanaṁ sādiyati. So taṁ assādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati. Idampi kho, brāhmaṇa, brahmacariyassa khaṇḍampi chiddampi sabalampi kammāsampi. Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, aparisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carati, saṁyutto methunena saṁyogena na parimuccati jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. ‘Na parimuccati dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

“Firstly, an ascetic or brahmin who claims to be perfectly chaste does not mutually engage in sex with a lady. However, they consent to being anointed, massaged, bathed, and rubbed by a lady. They enjoy it and like it and find it rewarding. This is a break, taint, stain, or mar in chastity. This is called one who lives the chaste life impurely, yoked by the yoke of sex. They’re not freed from rebirth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not freed from suffering, I say.

Puna caparaṁ, brāhmaṇa, idhekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā sammā brahmacārī paṭijānamāno na heva kho mātugāmena saddhiṁ dvayaṁdvayasamāpattiṁ samāpajjati, napi mātugāmassa ucchādanaparimaddananhāpanasambāhanaṁ sādiyati; api ca kho mātugāmena saddhiṁ sañjagghati saṅkīḷati saṅkelāyati …pe….

Furthermore, an ascetic or brahmin who claims to be perfectly chaste does not mutually engage in sex with a lady. Nor do they consent to massage and bathing. However, they giggle and play and have fun with ladies. …

Napi mātugāmena saddhiṁ sañjagghati saṅkīḷati saṅkelāyati; api ca kho mātugāmassa cakkhunā cakkhuṁ upanijjhāyati pekkhati …pe….

they gaze into a lady’s eyes. …

Napi mātugāmassa cakkhunā cakkhuṁ upanijjhāyati pekkhati; api ca kho mātugāmassa saddaṁ suṇāti tirokuṭṭaṁ vā tiropākāraṁ vā hasantiyā vā bhaṇantiyā vā gāyantiyā vā rodantiyā vā …pe….

they listen through a wall or rampart to the sound of ladies laughing or chatting or singing or crying. …

Napi mātugāmassa saddaṁ suṇāti tirokuṭṭaṁ vā tiropākāraṁ vā hasantiyā vā bhaṇantiyā vā gāyantiyā vā rodantiyā vā; api ca kho yānissa tāni pubbe mātugāmena saddhiṁ hasitalapitakīḷitāni tāni anussarati …pe….

they recall when they used to laugh, chat, and have fun with ladies. …

Napi yānissa tāni pubbe mātugāmena saddhiṁ hasitalapitakīḷitāni tāni anussarati; api ca kho passati gahapatiṁ vā gahapatiputtaṁ vā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitaṁ samaṅgībhūtaṁ paricārayamānaṁ …pe….

they see a householder or their child amusing themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. …

Napi passati gahapatiṁ vā gahapatiputtaṁ vā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappitaṁ samaṅgībhūtaṁ paricārayamānaṁ; api ca kho aññataraṁ devanikāyaṁ paṇidhāya brahmacariyaṁ carati imināhaṁ sīlena vā vatena vā tapena vā brahmacariyena vā devo vā bhavissāmi devaññataro vāti. So taṁ assādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati. Idampi kho, brāhmaṇa, brahmacariyassa khaṇḍampi chiddampi sabalampi kammāsampi. Ayaṁ vuccati, brāhmaṇa, aparisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carati saṁyutto methunena saṁyogena, na parimuccati jātiyā jarāya maraṇena sokehi paridevehi dukkhehi domanassehi upāyāsehi. ‘Na parimuccati dukkhasmā’ti vadāmi.

They don’t see a householder or their child amusing themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. However, they live the chaste life wishing to be reborn in one of the orders of gods. They think: ‘By this precept or observance or fervent austerity or spiritual practice, may I become one of the gods!’ They enjoy it and like it and find it rewarding. This is a break, taint, stain, or mar in chastity. This is called one who lives the chaste life impurely, yoked by the yoke of sex. They’re not free from rebirth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress. They’re not free from suffering, I say.

Yāvakīvañcāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, imesaṁ sattannaṁ methunasaṁyogānaṁ aññataraññataramethunasaṁyogaṁ attani appahīnaṁ samanupassiṁ, neva tāvāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddhoti paccaññāsiṁ.

As long as I saw that these seven sexual yokes—or even one of them—had not been given up in me, I didn’t announce my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.

Yato ca khohaṁ, brāhmaṇa, imesaṁ sattannaṁ methunasaṁyogānaṁ aññataraññataramethunasaṁyogaṁ attani appahīnaṁ na samanupassiṁ, athāhaṁ, brāhmaṇa, sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya anuttaraṁ sammāsambodhiṁ abhisambuddhoti paccaññāsiṁ. ‘Ñāṇañca pana me dassanaṁ udapādi, akuppā me vimutti, ayamantimā jāti, natthi dāni punabbhavo’”ti.

But when I saw that these seven sexual yokes—every one of them—had been given up in me, I announced my supreme perfect awakening in this world with its gods, Māras, and divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans. Knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘My freedom is unshakable; this is my last rebirth; now there’ll be no more future lives.’”

Evaṁ vutte, jāṇussoṇi brāhmaṇo bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama, abhikkantaṁ, bho gotama …pe… upāsakaṁ maṁ bhavaṁ gotamo dhāretu ajjatagge pāṇupetaṁ saraṇaṁ gatan”ti.

When he said this, the brahmin Jānussoṇi said to the Buddha, “Excellent, worthy Gotama! Excellent! … From this day forth, may the worthy Gotama remember me as a lay follower who has gone for refuge for life.”